Machine for scrubbing rugs, floors, and the like



Feb- 6, 1951 J. D. CONWAY 2, ,9

MACHINE FOR SCRUBBING RUGS, FLOORS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb, 9, 1946 4 x INVENTOR'.

JOSEPH D. CONWAY ATTORNEY Patented Feb; 6, 195 1 MACHINE FOR SCRUBBING BUGS, FLOORS,

AND THE LIKE Joseph D. Conway, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Certified Chemical Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a partnership consisting of Joseph D. Conway and Jay H. Zucker Application February 9, 1946, Serial No. 646,599

This invention relates, as indicated, to machines for scrubbing rugs, floors and the like, but has reference more particularly to improvements, in machines of the rotary brush type, such as that d sclosed in my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,717,617.

In machines of the aforesaid tvpe, provided with rotary brushes, the we ght of the machine is usually sustained by the bristles of the brush. These bristles, when dry, are sufliciently rigid, so that collectively, they sustain the weight of the machine in a des rable manner without injury to the brush. After the bristles become wet, however, either dur ng or after use of the machine. the ends of the bristes lose their rigidity, and the weight of the machine causes such ends of the bristles to become bent or curled, thereby materially reducing the cleaning or scrubbing efficiency of the brush, and increasing, in many cases, the time required for cleaning or scrubing.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide means which is effective to sustain or carry the weight of the machine after the machine has been used, or between periods of the machines active use, whereby the weight of the machine need not be su ta ned primarily by the bristles of the brush while the brush is wet.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the aforesaid character which can be easily and quic ly placed in posit on or use, and which, when not in use. can be locked or held in a posit on in which it does not; in any way, interfere with the operation or use of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the aforesaid character which consists of a minimum number of parts, which are inexpensive to manufacture and which can be readily assembled and disassembled.

A st ll further object of the invention is to provide a novel finger-hold or hand-hold in a machine of the character described, whereby tilting of the machine to facilitate placement in use of the aforesaid weight-sustaining means is greatly facilitated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating handling and steering of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

2 Claims. (CI. 49)

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine having incorporated therein the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the front portion of the machine, showing, in approximately full-size, the novel features of the inven tion;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the front portion of the machine, showing the novel handles being connected to the base or cover I"- by means of tubular members or conduits 3 which: serve to convey the various cleaning fluids from a tank (not shown) to the interior of the base or cover, and thence to the rotating brush 4 of the machine. along the floor is aided by means of rollers or wheels 4, which are carried by the base or cover of the machine.

The brush, in this instance, is housed within the base or cover I in such a manner that the major portion of the bristles thereof projects below the lower edge of the base. The brush 4 is supported by means of the shaft of an electric motor 5, which, in turn, is supported by the base or cover, the motor, when energized, imparting a rapid rotary movement to the brush. During such rotation of the brush, various cleaning fluids are fed to the brush, preferably in the manner described in my aforesaid patent.

Projecting forwardly from the base or cover" of the machine, and preferablycast integrally with such base or cover, is a pair of parallel lugs B and 1, in which pivot pin 8 has its ends rig idly secured. The pin 8 has pivotally secured to the mid-portion thereof, a handle-shaped mem The movement of the machine paced along the periphery of the cover.

been, found that: by providing twosuch members. spaced in this manner, instead of a. single;- mom 3 between the positions shown in solid lines in Fig. 3 and the position shown in broken lines in said figure.

The plate I is provided in its lower edge with a notch or recess l2, which is adapted to receive a'loclging screw 13, which is. secured to the lug 1),. and, the head of which serves to pre-. vent displacement of the plate in from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3.

The plate H) is also provided at its upper edge with a forwardly extending ledge or flange I4, which forms a finger-piece for facilitating movement of the plate In betweenthepositions, shown.

4. In order to permit such movement of the member 9, the plate I0 is first swung about the screw H from the position shown in solid lines 'E I a to;- the posi ion. shown in br k n l ne and is tempora ilys p r--- n the brok n-l ne.- position by means of a stop pin l5 which, pro-. ieets orwar vf om he his. di e ly. lo he. straw ll er he memb 9 swung; pward y to. he b....en= ne ne tienin g. t. after which the latch plate 10 is returned tothe; posi io sh wn. in; Fi 5. whieh p si on it is; etfee iv to. prevent he mem er 9 from f ll ins back to its ial. position...

. Aft r the. machi e be n n s a d: the bristles of the brush; have become wet, the plate ismoved o. the broken-line posi iQn' in Fi sperm, ins he. ter b' 9 o e sw n about th p n. 8 te a le er posi ion... I o er to brin member th.: he so idi. pesof F gsand: ho ev i s n ce sar o e f .v

par s at the mae ine: b t lti g; it l g ly" a s nthe axes; er. h wheels 4/- rder o acili t this: ins vement. a. finee he d L6 is arme in th b se it co r such fin er bold be n enteered to r i e h fin rs o ne and and; to. en ble the fr t o ion f h to b el vated suf i en ly to pe t he. 9; to. be; moved to. its, operative position.

' fbe fi is r he d It. a so r es t fac t l ts ing or carrying of the machine for other purnes s; After t member 9 has b nved t ts neret e pos on. it. is.- locked in su h. 1 :0 1-- tienhv er ns b la eb p at It to he. position. tr wn Fist 4- 'Ehegmember 9 and the wheels 4 thus coact to ft. the u h fr m the floor s l ie a.v whenv it is not in use; (see. 3),. to, relieve the bristles ush r m ser e t ne he e h of t ev ristles rom b ereins ben or rl d, a d: r e-- Se v the ng: er scrubb n e iency of. th br sh n reasi g e eh ife t ereet 1 be no d; that. th tub ar members 3' emtee ed o. he hou ing or, co er I: r n s. It. has:

ber connectedto a single point. in the} periphery sa d ee er. t beco es e s er h ndle n steer he. machi e, r r her the rotatin brush- It. is: ta be understeed that. the form. of mse. Thi prev ts h n s f th e invention, herein described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention; I Claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a brush cas ng, a brush revolubly mounted in said casing, said brush having an exposed portion below said casing, means for elevating the casing to support said brush out of contact with the floor, said means comprising a pair of spaced lugs extending laterally from the casing, a pivot pin mounted in said lugs and a casing sustaining member pivotally movable about said pin between said lugs, a pivoted latching member comprising a. plate pivoted to one of said lugs and a headed projection mounted on the other of said lugs, said headed projection being adapted to engage said plate and prevent displacement of the latter: relative to theglugs and said plate b in pivo ed. for movement cross the p h of. pivotalmovement of the casingv sustaining mom;- ber to, latch said member in operative or inope erative; position.

2. In a machine of the character described, a brushcasing, a brush revolubly mounted, in said casing and having; a portion exposed below the. lower edge of the casing, wheels carried by saidcasing at one side thereof, means. carried bysaid casing at the opposite side thereof and movable to a, position; parallel with the side of said brush and, extending: below the lower edge. of the brush to, support the same out of contact with the floor and also movable to an inoperative position, in which it. extends in the'opposite, (11-. motion, said. means comprising an. elongated; rigid finger" having front. andrear sides-, means. for p v t n said fing o said housing and a. pivoted latch carried icy-the, housing andene gaging one or the other of said faces to lock the finger in, either of its positions.

J SEBH Dz O W Y- B rERrNeEs orrsn The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED. STATES. PATENTS N m Name.- Date 594,509 Ackerman Nov. 30, 1897* 728 ,6641 Bliss May 19, 1903 892,934 Carpenter; July 7, 1908;

1,011 Herr Dec. 19, 191 1, 1,473,778 Barry Nov. 13, 1923 r 1,485,680 Hughes Mar; 4, 1 92'; 1,763,818; Ponton 7 June 17;, 1 930,.- 1,88 1',43l Finnell OQQ, '11, 1232; 1,891,175 Petersen Dec. 1%, 1 9321 1i Du-lin M 16,, 1233 1,951,105.- Myers Mar. 13, 1934;. 2,142,697 Myers Jan. 3, 1939' 2,221,315. Okun. 1.. ..r Nov. 12, 1940-;

FOREIGN PATENTS umber Co nt y Da e,

Aus ria same-lee. 2 12-. 2.5,. 1.9%; 

